Tia-Thuy Nguyen's Artistic Exploration of Clouds Debuts in Shanghai

Vietnamese artist Tia-Thuy Nguyen invites viewers into a world of ethereal beauty with her first solo exhibition in China, titled Fields of Resonance, now on display at Almine Rech Shanghai until October 31, 2026. This exhibition features nearly twenty pieces, including paintings, sculptures, and installations, all crafted from a diverse array of materials such as oil paint, beads, quartz, crystal, and stainless steel.

Nguyen's fascination with clouds, a recurring theme in her work since 2018, serves as a poignant connection to her memories of her father, a pilot during the Vietnam War. As her artistic journey evolved, clouds became a symbol of her travels between Asia and Europe, embodying movement, memory, and emotion.

In Fields of Resonance, the cloud motif transcends mere representation, transforming into tangible structures. Utilizing embroidery, mineral fragments, and stainless steel, Nguyen manifests these forms throughout the gallery. A stunning centerpiece, Fairer than a Fairy, is a mixed-media piece that spans 200 by 300 centimeters, combining oil paint with thousands of beads and sequins. This intricate construction blurs the lines between painting and sculpture, inviting viewers to experience the physicality of the work from different angles.

Another notable piece, Passionate in Supernatural, employs oil paint to vividly depict the atmospheric conditions following a storm. The overlapping colors—turquoise, deep violet, and gold—evoke a sense of movement and transition, capturing the interplay of light and darkness. Unlike the structured embroidery works, these oil paintings maintain a sense of fluidity and instability.

Nguyen also explores the interplay of light and texture in her sculptural works, such as Another Day of Sun and Like a Sky Breeze, which incorporate quartz, crystal, and recycled glass. The transparency of these materials allows them to interact with light, shifting their appearance based on the viewer's perspective.

Further innovating her practice, Nguyen introduces a stainless-steel weaving technique in pieces like The Pause Between Storms. Here, fine metal strands are meticulously bent and woven into cloud-like formations, merging the strength of industrial materials with the delicacy typically associated with textiles. This juxtaposition creates a sculptural harmony where permanence meets impermanence.

Nguyen's seven-meter-long installation, Enduring Vitality, extends the cloud theme into a grounded representation of nature. Branching tree forms made from stainless steel stretch across the gallery, shifting in appearance with the viewer's movement. This duality of clouds and trees symbolizes the circulation of natural energy—clouds disperse and reform while trees remain anchored yet ever-growing.

In Fields of Resonance, Nguyen artfully combines diverse materials to create a dialogue between painting, sculpture, and installation. Each element retains its unique qualities, allowing beads to serve as both color and texture, while steel functions as both line and structure. This exploration reflects Nguyen's multifaceted practice, where the boundaries between disciplines blur, creating a rich tapestry of visual and emotional experiences.

Source: www.designboom.com